Only two warnings will be given before you will be sent to TOP. After one trip to TOP, I will contact your parents. After two trips to TOP, I will write a referral for ISA. You will not talk in this classroom. You will stay in your seat unless directed to do otherwise. You will not take or touch anything that does not belong to you. If you break any of these rules, you will be sent to TOP.

Technology

You will be working with the laptops frequently on assignments. You will get a flash drive to save your work. I will not always be able to get the same set of laptops, so saving to the desktop is not advisable. When you are using the computers, you will not go online to websites that are not related to the assignment. If I catch you surfing inappropriate sites, you will lose your computer privileges for the remainder of the assignment.

Class Beginning

At the beginning of each class, you will come in, sit down, and begin working on the daily language practice or sentence model exercise for the day. You will not socialize with your friends. Homework will be collected at the beginning of class.

Class Ending

At the end of each class, you will stay in your seat until you are dismissed. The bell does not dismiss you. I DO! You will not congregate around the door. You will not get up and move into a different seat.

Textbooks

You will bring your textbook to class every day. No exceptions. You will put your full name inside your textbook and cover it. You will not leave your textbook in the classroom, under the desk, or in the cabinet. That is what your locker is for. You are responsible for turning in the same book you are given on the first day of class. If you lose your textbook, you will let me know as soon as possible.

Rules of Classroom

Food/Drink

You will not bring food or dinks (including water bottles) into the classroom. You will not eat or drink in this classroom. You will not chew gum or have candy in this class.

iPods

Leave these items in your bookbags or purses.

Cell Phones

Any cell phone found will be confiscated and turned in to Ms Scott or Mr. Covington. No excuses will be accepted concerning cell phones. You may not send or receive calls or text messages during the school day (from 8:00 AM until 3:15 PM EVERY DAY) whether you are in class, the hallways or the cafeteria.

Bookbags/Purses

If your purse or bookbag is too large to fit completely under your desk, you will leave it at the front or side of the classroom. Your bookbags will not be left in the aisles. You will not keep your purse on the desk.

Seating Chart

Everyone has an assigned seat. You will sit in the correct seat every day including the days that a substitute is here.

Passes

You may leave class to use the restroom twice in one marking period. In order to leave the room, you MUST have an agenda indicating where you are going and what time you are leaving. The pass must be signed by me. You will not be excused to get a drink of water, go to your car, go to guidance/office/locker/another class. If you have a medical reason to use the restroom more frequently, please make sure you have a note filed with the school nurse.

I update my blog several times a week. Every Monday you will find the week’s assignments on the blog. I always include page numbers and specific assignments on the blog and, when possible, links to pages that can be downloaded and printed.

Dialectical Journals

You will maintain a dialectical journal on various pieces of literature that we read. I will provide you with the composition books for this assignment. Dialectical journals are journals in which a reader records a mental conversation with the text. These journals will be used to summarize and question, read closely for details, diction, etc., notice patterns, write analysis and look for connections, document quotes, make inferences about characters, symbols, make choices about evidence.

Late Work

You have one late assignment pass per marking period. You may use it at any time on any homework or classwork assignment. However, once you use it, you cannot turn in any more late assignments that marking period. Research projects/papers may be turned in up to 2 class periods late with a penalty of 10 points per class period.

Projects

You will have 2 major projects for this class. One will be a research paper. The second project will be a media/technology project. More information will be given for these projects later.

Quizzes

Quizzes are equal to ¼ of your MP grade. The quizzes will be multiple-choice and have at least one essay. Essay questions must have a three-paragraph answer unless otherwise indicated. Stories will be tested the class following the assigned reading. Most questions are related to your comprehension and interpretation of the story. Some of the questions are related to the vocabulary or grammar assignments accompanying the story. You may use your handwritten notes on all tests. You will not copy portions of the story to place in your notebook to use on a test.

Homework

Homework will be collected at the beginning of each class. I will not accept late work unless you were absent the day the assignment was given. If you are absent the day I collect an assignment, you will turn in that assignment the next class period. Some homework will be graded for correctness only. If you receive a paper back with a large P that means you received a 100. Checkmarks or X’s on graded assignments indicate an incorrect answer.

Daily Grade

Every day you will receive a grade for daily behavior. The grade will consist of having all your supplies for the day, having homework completed, being quiet and attentive and completing the daily assignment.